they suspected to be strangers, and that if they were found without passports they were taken at once before the governor, and thence to prison.

was

At last we started from Paris for Mezières. We had no disagreeable adventure during the journey, for within the French dominions no one stopped. The strictest attention of the government was only directed to guarding all the roads across the frontiers. We arrived then, one afternoon about four o'clock, at the summit of a little hill, about a quarter of a league from Mezières, whence we could see the whole of this town and the gate by which we should have to enter it. One can easily judge of our feelings of suspense and dread as we considered the near and imminent peril which presented itself before our eyes. We sat down for a moment upon the hill to take counsel concerning an entrance into the town. In narrowly observing the gate, we perceived that a long bridge over the Meuse led up to it, and as it was very fine weather, a number of the inhabitants were walking about upon this bridge. We thought that by mixing with the citizens, and walking with them upon the bridge, we should be able to enter the town with the crowd without being recognised as strangers by the sentinel at the gate. Having decided upon this stratagem, we emptied our knapsacks of the few shirts which we had, putting them all on, and the knapsacks into our pockets. Then we cleaned our shoes, combed our hair, and finally took all the precautions requisite in order not to look like travellers. We had no

swords, for it was then forbidden in France to carry them. Thus equipped, we descended the hill and betook ourselves to the bridge, walking up and down there with the citizens till the drum beat for the closing of the gates. Then all the inhabitants hastened to return into the town, and we with them, the sentinel not perceiving that we were strangers. We were filled with the greatest joy at having avoided this great peril, believing that it was the only one we had to fear; but we were reckoning, as the saying is, without our host. We could not leave Mezières at once, the gate opposite to that by which we had entered being shut. We must then lodge in the town. We entered the first inn which presented itself. The landlord was not there; his wife received us. We ordered supper; and whilst we were at table, about nine o'clock, the master of the house arrived. His wife told him that she had received two young strangers. We heard from our chamber her husband ask her if we had a ticket of permission from the governor. His wife having replied that she had not inquired, "Jade,” said he, "do you wish that we should be utterly ruined? You know the rigorous prohibitions against lodging strangers without permission. I must go at once with them to the governor."

This dialogue which we overheard made us shudder. The landlord soon entered our chamber, and asked us very civilly if we had spoken to the governor. We told him that we had not thought this was necessary for lodging one night only in the town. "It would cost me a thousand crowns,"

said he, "if the governor knew that I had lodged you without his permission. But have you a passport to enable you to enter the frontier towns?" he asked us. We replied boldly that we were well furnished with papers. "That changes the whole affair," said he, "and saves me from incurring the blame of lodging you without permission; but still you must come with me to the governor to show your passports." We replied that we were very weary and fatigued, but that the next morning we would willingly accompany him there. He was satisfied with this. We finished our supper, and though our bed was a very good one, it did not induce us to sleep, so troubled were we by anxiety at the peril which threatened us. How many

counsels we held through that long night! How many expedients did we propose with regard to the answer which we should make to the governor! But alas! they were all counsels and expedients without result. Seeing nothing which could protect us from going straight from the governor's house to prison, we passed the remainder of the night imploring in prayer the help of God in such a pressing hour of need, and asking him that, to whatever his Divine will might think fit to expose us, he would grant us the firmness and constancy necessary to confess worthily the truth of the Gospel. The dawn of day found us in this pious exercise. We got up quickly and went down to the kitchen, where the landlord and his wife slept. As we were dressing we thought of an expedient to avoid appearing before the governor, which

we put into practice, and it succeeded admirably. It was as follows:-We formed the design of leaving our lodging clandestinely before our host was up and able to observe us. When he saw us so early in his kitchen he inquired our reason for such early rising. We said that having to go to the governor with him, we wished to breakfast at once, so that on leaving the governor's house we could continue our journey. He approved of our scheme, and ordered his servant to fry some sausages, whilst he was getting up. This kitchen was on the ground-floor, and close to the street door. Having perceived that the servant had opened the street door, we made a pretext that we wished to go out for a few moments. The host suspecting nothing, we went out of this fatal inn, without saying farewell or paying our reckoning, for the trick seemed absolutely necessary.

Once in the street, we found a little boy, of whom we asked the way to the Charleville gate, that by which we were to leave the town. We were very near it, and as the gate was open we went out without any obstacle. We entered Charleville, a small town with neither gate nor garrison, which is within gunshot of Mezières. We breakfasted here quickly, and then left it to enter the forest of Ardennes. It had frozen during the night, and the forest appeared terrible to us; the trees were covered with hoar frost and icicles. As we penetrated this vast forest we perceived a great number of roads, and did not know which to take to lead us to Charleroi. While we were in this embarrass

ment a peasant met us, of whom we asked the way to Charleroi. This peasant answered us, shrugging his shoulders, that he saw well enough we were strangers, and that our enterprise of going to Charleroi by the Ardennes was a very dangerous one, seeing that we did not know the roads, and it was almost impossible that we should follow the right one, as the farther we advanced, the more roads we should meet; and that as there was neither village nor house in this great wood, we should run the risk of so losing ourselves that we might wander about for twelve or fifteen days; that moreover the forest was full of ravenous animals, and that if the frost continued we might perish there of cold and hunger.

These words alarmed us, and made us offer the peasant a louis d'or if he would serve us as guide as far as Charleroi. Not if you were to offer me a hundred," he said. "I see very well that you are Huguenots escaping from France, and I should be putting the rope round my own neck if I rendered you this service. But," said he, "I will give you a piece of good advice, leave the Ardennes, take the road which you see upon your left; you will arrive at a village (which he named), you will sleep there, and tomorrow morning continue your journey, keeping to the right of this village. You will then see the town of Rocroy, which you will leave upon your left, and pursuing your road, always to the right, you will arrive at Couvé, a small town; you will pass through it, and in leaving it will find a road to your left; follow it; it will lead you to Charleroi